Kass' Odyssey and Chicago's connection to the world

April 15, 2012|By Gerould Kern

On Sunday, columnist John Kass concluded two weeks of reports from Greece and Turkey, where he journeyed to explore questions with relevance here in Chicago.

Regular readers of course know of John’s Greek ancestry. He writes with pride about the ancient homeland, telling evocative stories about his father who immigrated to Chicago as a young man, the Greek civil war, a stubborn mule dubbed Truman, and the uncles, aunts and cousins who still make their homes in the tiny village of Rizes.

Greece, the birthplace of democracy and the wellspring of western culture, is perched on the precipice of financial ruin. Some believe a collapse in Greece could be beginning of a domino effect that might knock us all down.

Neighboring Turkey, a rival of Greece from antiquity, is resurgent economically and stands astride the fault line of Islam and western secularism. The contrasts are sharp, and the cross-currents are complex and constantly shifting.

John poignantly described his encounters and drew parallels between what he saw there and our own economic hardships, divided and rancorous government, the challenges and blessings of multiculturalism and even the corruption that has plagued Chicago and Illinois for decades. Photographer Chris Walker brilliantly captured in stills and video the timeless beauty and contemporary tension that marks the land. You can see John’s columns and Chris’ visuals by going to chicagotribune.com/kass.

I have written many times about our mission at the Chicago Tribune. We stand up for the community through watchdog reporting, and we capture the Chicago experience—what it means to live, work and play in this region.

We also view the world from the vantage point of this city, exploring the connections that make Chicago an important global citizen.